VI
Miss Rowan and Miss Blake, the two junior mistresses, were strolling towards the Sports Pavilion.
Miss Rowan was thin and dark and intense, Miss Blake was plump and fair. They were discussingwith animation¹ their recent adventures in Florence: the pictures they had seen, the sculpture, thefruit blossom, and the attentions (hoped to be dishonourable) of two young Italian gentlemen.
“Of course one knows,” said Miss Blake, “how Italians go on.”
“Uninhibited,” said Miss Rowan, who had studied Psychology² as well as Economics.
“Thoroughly healthy, one feels. No repressions³.”
“But Guiseppe was quite impressed when he found I taught at Meadowbank,” said Miss Blake.
“He became much more respectful at once. He has a cousin who wants to come here, but MissBulstrode was not sure she had a vacancy⁴.”
“Meadowbank is a school that really counts,” said Miss Rowan, happily. “Really, the newSports Pavilion looks most impressive. I never thought it would be ready in time.”
“Miss Bulstrode said it had to be,” said Miss Blake in the tone of one who has said the lastword.
“Oh,” she added in a startled kind of way.
The door of the Sports Pavilion had opened abruptly⁵, and a bony young woman with ginger-coloured hair emerged. She gave them a sharp unfriendly stare and moved rapidly away.
“That must be the new Games Mistress,” said Miss Blake. “How uncouth⁶!”
“Not a very pleasant addition to the staff,” said Miss Rowan. “Miss Jones was always sofriendly and sociable⁷.”
“She absolutely glared at us,” said Miss Blake resentfully.
They both felt quite ruffled⁸.

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